The present invention relates to ski racks, and in particular to ski racks for slope-backed vehicles.
A variety of ski racks are available for carrying skis over the roof portion of a vehicle. These ski racks attach to the rain gutters on the edges of the roof of the vehicle, and are usually adjustable for use on most vehicles which have the required rain gutters. However, for fastback or slope-backed vehicles, which are becoming increasingly popular, it is usually desirable to mount the skis on the sloping aft portion of the vehicle rather than over the roof. Since rain gutters are not provided on this aft portion, devising a universal ski rack, i.e. one that fits a wide variety of automobiles, has been a difficult problem since there is no convenient way to attach the rack to the vehicle.
Some ski racks found in the prior art for carrying skis on the rearward portion of the slope-backed automobile employ either a spaced pair of support members or a unitary frame which simply bolts on to the vehicle, as illustrated in the patent to Bott, U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,491. Such ski racks cannot be conveniently removed from the vehicle since the bolt holes must be filled, and are thus usually left on the vehicle, even in the summer. This type of ski rack is unacceptable to persons who wish to remove their ski racks when the ski season ends.
Other types of ski racks, as exemplified in the patent to Gjesdahl, U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,111, and the patent to Allen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,999, employ a frame having underlying suction cups which rest on the surface of the vehicle. The frame is attached to the vehicle by means of straps which extend from the frame to the edges of the trunk lid, and tightening the straps maintain the suction cups in contact with the vehicle. The problem with this type of ski rack is that the suction cups slide relative to the vehicle, and the friction between the cups and the vehicle causes rings or marks which mar the finish of the vehicle when the ski rack is removed.
The above types of ski racks are not limited to a specific type of automobile. However, removal of the bolted type of ski rack is inconvenient, and the suction cup type leaves marks which detract from the appearance of the vehicle. In order to avoid these deficiencies, it has become customary to design individual ski racks for each different model of automobile. In such ski racks, the shape and size of the frame is matched to the shape of the trunk opening of the vehicle. The frame is thus readily attachable to the edge of the trunk opening, and can easily be removed. The frame itself provides the desired structural rigidity so that excessive loads are not placed on the edges of the trunk opening, and the finish of the automobile is not damaged. However, such ski racks are not adaptable to different makes of cars, and are often restricted to a given model year or set of years. Hence, the useful life of such a ski rack is usually limited to the life of the automobile.
Attempts have been made to develop ski racks that can be adapted to different types of vehicles, but that do not require bolts or suction cups to support the frame. However, such devices are generally impractical because the mode of attachment of the frame to the vehicle is insufficient to provide structural rigidity required when skis are subjected to relatively strong wind forces during transit. Universal clamping mechanisms presently available have been unable to provide the necessary rigidity and often damage the point of attachment to the vehicle. As a result, such ski racks are not in common usage.